Lettering device



(No Model.) l

L. RUST.

LETTERING DEVICE. No. 591,697. Patentedlot. 12,1897.

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showing the manner in which it is used for opposite plate and introducing the same UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

rLUcIAN RUST, 0E DUNKIRK, NEW YORK.

LETTERING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 591,697, dated October 12, 1897.

Application filed January 8. 1897.

To (all whom, t 71u01/ concern,-

Be it known that I, LUcIAN RUsT, of Dunkirk, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Lettering Device, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to a new and improved form of mechanical lettering device in which a circular scale is laid with a series of radial points spaced to correspond with the ordinates of the principal points of the letters and characters to be formed, and a sliding bar is provided withY a registering-bar and a ruling-arm, the whole adapted to be moved so that a mark upon the registering-bar will successively coincide with the mark corresponding to the series representing the character being formed.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and efficient lettering device which shall be purely mechanical in its operation, involving in its use no computation, and which may be used to rapidly outline letters and characters and which may be adjusted to letters of any size within its range and of normal proportions, or with either the hori- Zontal or vertical dimensions increased from the normal. v f

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l represents a top plan view of my device. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central. section. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of my device,

forming letters smaller than the standard; and Fig. 4: illustrates the manner of laying out the lines indicating the height of the letters.

In my device two bars or plates A and B are attached to each other by their edges, so that one may slide upon the other. This is accomplished by fastening a slotted strip h upon the edge of one of the plates and fastening two headed'screws a in the edge of the through the slot in the plate h. One of these bars A is widened, as shown most clearly at A in Figs. 3 and 4. To this widened portion of the bar A and on the line dividing the bars A and B is pivoted the spacing-dialD. This dial has characters which it is designed to Serial No. 618,443. (No model.)

form marked upon its upper surface close to the outer edge. Upon the radial lines passing through each of these characters is laid out a series of marks d, which are spaced to correspond with the vertical ordinates of the as shown in the drawings, formed as a part of the slotted stripvb an arm C, which rises above the surface of the bar andthen projects horizontally and radially above the surface of the spacing-dial D. This registeringarxn C has a mark C placed thereon near its inner end. This mark C is adapted to be brought into registry with the marks upon the spacing-dial in order to locate the ruling-arm in proper position for making the various lines of the letters. The bar B also vhas pivoted thereto upon the under side a ruling-bar H. The inner end of this'rulingbar occupies a recess H' in the under surface of the bar B.

The bar H is secured in any position to which it may be adjusted by means of a thumb-nut I, which screws upon the pivot of said bar. A small knob or handle h is fixed to the outer end of the bar H for convenience in moving thesame. Near its inner end the bar H is provided with an indicating-line h to determine the Aexact perpendicularity of the bar relative to the bar B.

The marks d upon the upper surface of the spacing-dial are laid out by first determining the horizontal spacing of the vertical ordinates of the letters and characters which are deemed to be desirable'and of proper proportions. These marks are determined for each separate character and laid out upon a radius passing through that character as marked upon the dial. outer portions of the dial toward the center, and the surface of the die E which isoppo- IOO These are laid out from the site the end of the registering-arm CV is cut away to a point permitting the registerin g-arm marks upon the dial is a distance which forms a portion of the spacing between the different letters. This distance is the minimum amount of spacing permitted between the letters and characters. The surface of the die E will consist of a series of ledges varying at times -quite widely in their distance from the center, as shown in Fig. l.

The spacing dial and die are held upon the bar A by means of a thumb-nut F, screwing upon the pivot-pin f. Attached to the edge of the bar A is an arm g, containing an adj ustable spacing-stop G. This arm is placed so that the end of the screw G, forming the adjustable stop, is in the path of movement of the arm C, engaging the rear or outer end thereof. The screwG may be adjusted so as to vary the spacing between the letters.

My device in use is operated as follows: It will be noticed at D', Fig. l, that one of the characters is marked Ht. This represents the height ofthe letters. The dial is turned so that this character is just above the registering-arm C. The bar B,'and with it the registering-arm C, is then pushed toward the center of the dial until the end of the arm engages the die E. The ruling-arm H has been previously placed so that it stands perpendicular to the outer edge of the bar B. This can be readily determined with sufficient exactness by making the mark h', placed upon the upper surface of this arm, coincide with the outer edge of the bar B. The bars A and B are placed perpendicular to the direction of the lines of the let-ters, so that the upper or left-hand edge of the ruling-arm H corresponds with the location of the top line of the letters. A mark is then made along the edge ot' this ruling-arm. In this position the mark C upon the registering-arm corresponds with the inner one of the three marks which indicate the height of the letters. The bar B is then moved until this mark corresponds with the second or central mark upon the dial D. Another mark is then made along the upper surface of the ruling-arm H. This mark corresponds to the upper ends of the lower-case letters. The bar B is then moved down until the mark C upon the registering-arm corresponds to the outer one of the characters on the dial D. The third line is then made along the upper edge of the ruling-arm H. This corresponds to the lower ends of the letters. This is done without changing the position of the dial D and without moving the bar A. This operation is shown as having been just completed in Fig. 4, except that in Fig. l tthe ruling-arm H is shown as making an acute angle with the outer edge of the bar B. This is done whenever it is desired to make the letter smaller than the standard by which the dial D has been laid out.

lf it is desired to lay out other horizontal lines to locate other parts of the letters, these may be laid out on the dial in the heightspace. This is, however, thought to be unnecessary.

It will be :readily understood, that according to the principles of geometry if the ruling-arm H be placed'at an angle with the direction of the motion the distance between the lines will be reduced and the heights of the letters correspondingly reduced. In this Way my device may be adj usted so as to make letters of quite dierent size and yet preserve normal proportions.

After the lines which represent the height of the letters, which lines are lettered J in Fig. 4, have been laid out upon the paper the device is then shifted so that the rulingarm H is perpendicular to the lines J. If the letters to be formed are to be of the same size as the standard by which the scale has been laid out, the arm H is placed perpendicular to the bars A and B. In any event if the letters are to be of normal proportions and perpendicular 4the arm H is left in the same position as when used for laying out the lines J. The dial D is shifted until the proper character is drawn around ladjacent to the registering-arm G. The ruling-arm H is placed so that its left-hand edge, as shown in Fig. l, corresponds to the point where the letter is to begin. The bar A is then moved upon the bar B until the end of the register- IOC ing-arm C contacts with the die E. The registering-arm C is spaced so that the mark C registers with the first mark upon the dialD in the series corresponding to the `letter to be formed. This indicates the first mark of the letter. As shown in Fig. l, this letter is T, and the first mark corresponds to the outer end of the top portion of theV 'l. The bar B is then moved upon the bar A until the mark C registers with the next mark upon the dial. This locates the next point of the letter. In a similar way the bar B is moved in a constantly-forward direction upon the bar A until the mark C upon the registering-arm has been brought to register with the last mark of the series, which corresponds with the last line of theletter. The bar B is then Y moved a little farther in the same direction until the end of the registering-arm C contacts with the stop G, this last motion representing a portion of the spacing between the letter just formed and the one to follow. The dial D is then shifted until the next character to be made is brought into the position occupied by the letter T in Fig. 1. Vhen this point has been reached, the bar A, which up to this time has been held in a ixed position upon the paper, is then moved upon the bar B until the end of the registering-arm contacts with the die E.

It will be seen that in most cases the mark C slightly overtravels the inner mark of each series. This overtravel, as before stated, represents a portion of the spacing between the letters and is the minimum spacing allowed. The spacing between the letters is increased at will by adj Listing the position of the stop G. In this way the spacing may be adjusted to suit the ideas of draftsmen.

It will be seen that a few of the marks D upon the dial D are differentiated from the others by having cross-lines drawn upon them. These marks will be differentiated upon the instrument in this manner or by having a groove representing the mark filled with a colored material. These marks are placed only in connection with letters which have their sidelines sloping-that is, the line inclosiu'g the outline of the letter Will be sloping. Where two letters of this character in which the lines slope in the same direction are brought together, the spacing between the letters should be reduced in order to present a proper appearance. In case one of these letters is followed by a letter in which the adjacent side slopes in the same direction the last spacing movement-that is, the distance between the back or outer end of the registering-bar C and the/stop G-is omitted. This reduces the spacing between the letters and causes the letters to present a better appearance than if this spacing were introduced. In case these letters are followed by a letter which is perpendicular upon its adjacent side or in which the slope is in the opposite direction this spacing interval is retained. In the sample lines shown in Fig. 1 this principle is illustrated as between the letter A and those upon each side thereof where this last spacing interval has been omitted. Between the letter N and the letter T,7 however, this spacing interval has been used.

It will be seen that upon the dial two or more lower-case letters have in some cases been placed together. This is done where the space occupied by the letters and the ordinates of their principal parts coincide. If it is desired to make letters which are sloping or italicized, the ruling-arm H is set at an angle as represented indotted lines in Fig. l, while the bars A and B preserve the relative position which they would otherwise occupy. In making letters of standard size this position would be parallel with the direction of the line of the letters. In making letters less than standard size this position would be at an angle as represented in Fig. 3, the angle depending upon the degree of the reduction in size.

In making letters of normal proportions the angle of the bars A and B with the line of the letters should be the same as the angle of the ruling-arm H when the height-lines J are made. If it is desired to make letters that vary from the normalthat is, greater either in height or width-the angle of the bar B is varied from this, being made less to make a letter which is higher than the normal-that is, the angle upon the ruling side of the rulingbar II or the side toward the dial D is made less in laying out the letters thanin laying out the height-lines.

- To make letters which are wider than normal, this angle is made greater than the angle used in laying out the height-lines. In this latter case, however, the angle should not exceed a right angle. It Will of course be understood that the same effect in variation of the proportions will be obtained if the device is arranged so that the ruling-bar H may be thrown a sufficient distance to either side of a right angle. I have shown this device as only designed for shifting the bar in one direction from a right angle, excepting the degree required for making italicized or sloping letters. The degree of angle of italicized letters is determined by the extent of the recess G in the under surface of the bar.

When the arm H is thrown over to its eX treme position, as shown by dotted 'lines in Fig-1, it is in proper position for sloping letters. This position may be determined by providing any form of stop desired, and, it thought desirable, this stop may be so that it can be thrown out of engagement with the arm, so that the arm may swing farther in this direction. The ruling-arm H as I have illustrated it is pivoted at one side of its center. The object of this is that the arm II may swing alongside of the bar B when closed up, and yet will not have its ruling edge shortened as the angle decreases.

In Fig. 3 is indicated a method by which my device may be used for laying out a word in any predetermined space. This is accomplished as follows: In the first place the space occupied by the word required is laid out by adjusting the device so that it will make a word as large or larger than the letters required. This is shown by the upper word. In doing this the letters need not be formed, simply the operation of spacing the letters, without making any marks except at the beginning and end of the word. The length of the word is represented by lines L L. With a pair of Vcompasses centered at L an arc is struck through L to the point L2 or beyond.

From the point L the length of the required word is laid out upon the lines L L', and a perpendicular line from this point is dropped upon-the arc previously struck underneath the same at L2. Theedge of the bar B is then placed to coincide with a line through L and L2, and the ruling-arm H is then placed to coincide with the perpendicular from the lines L L to the point L2. The word when laid out with this adjustment will then be found to be of exactly the length required.

My device may be varied in many of its details from those described herein without affectin g the essential principles thereof. This includes, broadly, the spacing dial or plate provided with a series of marks corresponding in their spacing to the spacing of the ordinates of the letters and characters to be laid out thereby and two bars movable upon each IOO IIO

IZO

ISO L other, one of them carrying the spacing dial or plate and the other a registering-arm and a ruling-arm.V

The die E may be omitted and the device used by setting the same each time to a mark upon the dial. The use of the die E facilitates the operations and is deemed preferable.

The position and shape of the ruling-arm may also be changed without changing the character of the device.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A lettering device, consisting of a spacin g-dial havingseries of radial points thereon, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal parts of the characters to be formed, and a bar provided with a spacing-arm which is adjacent and radial to the dial, and a ruling-arm extending to one side therefrom, said bar and dial being movable relatively to each other, substantially as shown and described.

2. A lettering device, consisting of a bar having pivoted thereon a spacing-dial, and a j sliding bar attached thereto, said sliding bar having a ruling-bar and a spacing-point, which latter is adapted to be brought into registry with points upon the spacing-dialA stantially as shown and described.

4. A lettering-scale, consisting of a disk having thereon series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinatesl of the principal points of the characters to be formed,substantially as shown and described.

5. A lettering-scale, consisting of a disk having thereon series of radiallydisposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, and a ruling-bar movable relative to and coperating with said disk, to transfer the spacings thereof to the paper, substantially as shown and described.

6. A lettering-scale, consisting of a disk having thereon series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, a ruling-bar movable relative to and cooperating with said disk, to transfer the spacin gs thereof to the paper, and means .for adjusting the angle of the ruling edge of said bar with its direction of motion, substantially as shown and described.

7. A lettering-scale, consisting of a disk having thereon series of radiallydisposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, a bar having sliding connection to the disk, whereby they may be moved relatively to each other, and a ruling-arm pivoted upon said sliding bar and adapted to project from the side thereof at an adjustable angle, substantially as shown and described.

8. A lettering-scale, comprising two bars having sliding connection with each other, a disk mounted upon one of these bars and having series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, the other bar having a registering-arm with aradially -disposed edge adapted to register a 'point thereon with the marks upon the disk,

said last sliding bar having also a ruling edge located at an angle to its direction of motion, substantially as shown and described.

9. A lettering-scale, comprising two bars having sliding connection with each other, a disk mounted upon one of these bars and having series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, the

other bar having a registering-arm with a radially-disposed edge adapted to register a point thereon with the marks upon the disk, and a ruling-arm pivoted upon the said sliding bar and projecting therefrom at an adj ustable angle, substantially as shown and devscribed.

lO. A lettering-scale, comprising two bars having sliding connection with each other, a disk mounted upon one of these bars and having series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to theordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, the other bar having a registeringarm with a radially-disposed edge adapted to register a point thereon with the marks upon the disk, and having also a ruling edge atan angle to its direction of motion, and a spacing-stop limiting the relative motion of the two sliding bars, substantially as shown and described.

1l. A lettering-scale,.comprising two bars having sliding connection with each other, a disk mounted upon one of these bars and having series ofiradially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of -the characters to be formed, the other bar having a registeringarm with a radially-disposed edge adapted to register a point thereon with the marks upon the disk, and also having a ruling-arm piv marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points ofthe characters tobe formed, a spacing pattern-die fixed to one surface of the disk, a ruling-arm movable relatively to the said disk, and a registeringarm connected to and moving With the rulingarin and upon the line of a radius of the disk and engaging said spacing pattern-die, substantially as shoWn and described.

13. A lettering device, consisting of a disk having thereon series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, a spacing pattern-die fixed to one surface of the disk, a ruling-arm movable relatively to the said disk, a registering-arm connected to and moving with the ruling-arm and upon the line of a radius of the disk and engaging said spacing pattern die, and a spacing-stop limiting the outward motion of the registering-arm relative to the disk, substantially as shown and described.

14. A lettering device, consisting of a disk having thereon series of radially-disposed marks, spaced to correspond to the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, a spacing pattern-die Xed to one surface of the disk, a bar movable relatively to said disk, a registering-arm mounted thereon tomove radially of the disk and adapted to engage said spacing pattern-die, a stop connected to the disk and limiting the out- Ward movement of the registering-arm, and a ruling-arm movable with the registeringarm and extending at an angle thereto, substantially as shown and described.

l5. A lettering device, consisting of tWo bars mounted to slide one upon the other, a disk pivoted upon one of these bars and having series of radially-disposed marks upon one surface, spaced to correspond to the spacing of the ordinates of the principal points of the characters to be formed, aspacing pattern-die Xed on the disk, a registering-arm fixed to the other sliding bar and located so as to move toward and from the center of the disk, a ruling-arm pivoted to the same sliding bar and projecting therefrom at an adjustable angle, and an adjustable stop fixed to the first sliding bar and engaging the second bar to limit its motion in one direction, substantially as shown and described.

LUCIAN RUST. Witnesses:

J. C. MANYAN, WV. S. GAINES. 

